


I can take so much, until I’ve had enough

by WordThief



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alpha Nico - Freeform, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, It's probably OOC, M/M, Omega Leo, Omegaverse, based on a one-shot of mine, but oh well, enjoy?????????, i know way too much about how the omegaverse works biologically and genetically speaking, if you know what i mean, they get really close, things change because of that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-08-14 04:34:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 6,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20186341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordThief/pseuds/WordThief
Summary: They spend more time together, and somehow, in the moments in between, they form something stable, a connection; and are unaware of the way fate has changed.Title from: Human - Christina Perri





	1. I don’t want the world to see me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from: Iris – Goo Goo Dolls
> 
> I decided to write something terrible, just to get it out of my system. You can complain if you want, but it’s really cathartic.

Bunker nine has bittersweet aftertaste scent, one that serves as cover for Leo as he works away at the flying ship, but also on a side project, one more complicated, more dangerous. To a child of Apollo or Hecate this would be a menial task, but Leo is neither, and so he has to be extremely careful; getting it wrong could kill him.

It’s not a smart move, blockers of any sort never are, but it is a safe one, because he knows he would not be allowed on the trip should any of his companions learn the truth about him. He’s barely hiding it as is, having thankfully presented away from prying noses, and being that new into his second nature makes his odds that much worse.

He understands that it’s a gamble, but he needs to be on this mission, no matter what. He just has to be careful. So he makes his preparations, and makes sure to have enough to last the trip, and if it doesn’t then he’s got a plan b that he’d rather not use, still, it’s good to have a backup.

As things set in motion, as words and actions and reunions pass them by, Leo ponders on the dangers and difficulties of being an omega. Omegas are rare, male ones even more so, and not one of the six others is one; Jason and Percy are both alphas, while everyone else is a beta, so nobody questions Leo.

Time goes by in snapshots, one after the other, like watching from a third person point of view; yet somehow, Leo manages to trick even the monsters. It takes a little effort, a lot of hiding so he won’t be seen taking the suppressors, and way too much avoiding any situation where scent is required; the last one sucks because Leo would’ve really loved to cuddle with someone, even if it would get him found out immediately.

So, of course, the fates decide to throw a metaphorical wrench into his careful planning. Hazel begged for them to rescue her brother, and when Jason stated he though him a spy, a traitor, Leo forgot to open his mouth; and that’s how he ends up holding into the body of an alpha who looks two seconds away from dying, and everything gets thrown off balance.

Instincts are a blessing and a curse, Leo hadn’t really taken them into account, because he hadn’t thought they’d flare up so avidly. He finds himself in the small med bay he built on the ship, working on a new batch of suppressors while he waits for Nico Di Angelo to wake up, he’s been there the whole time, moving only when Hazel had time to be there instead, unmovable despite his best efforts.

Luckily for everyone, Leo had ways to keep the ship in one piece even without him actually being there to repair it; but repairing it gave Leo excuses to hide as well as time for himself. Now he spent practically every second in the med bay, watching over a healing alpha.

It’s weird, really fucking weird, like, Leo doesn’t even know the guy, but he’s in a really poor state, so much so that they had to keep him unconscious while the ambrosia did its work; Leo’s inner omega had taken the wheel though, and so here he was.

All the planning, and preparing, and pretending, all of that would crumble down the moment Di Angelo woke up; or maybe not, everything he heard about the alpha made Leo think he wouldn’t go around divulging Leo’s secret, not unless it became a problem for the quest, and the omega had already set everything so that such a thing wouldn’t happen.

Is it weird that Leo is far more ok with letting a perfect stranger into his very big, life changing, world fate altering, secret than he is with telling anyone else in the group? Probably, maybe, definitely.

But hiding it from Nico would be basically impossible, the others hadn’t questioned Leo staying in the med bay because someone had to be there when Nico woke up, to make sure the alpha wouldn’t react too badly; the problem was that, in order to do that, Leo would have to restore to straddling Nico, and though his suppressors were good, Nico would definitely catch his scent from that close. 

And yet he hopes it’s him who does it, because he has a small advantage over everyone else, and if he plays it right he could divert the alpha’s attention to himself and go from there, making sure Nico is present and knows what’s going on; the alpha has instincts too after all. Hazel would not be as lucky, and would 100% get hurt trying to keep her brother restrained until he’s reasonable; Leo, on the other hand, has a fifty-fifty shot.


	2. Tell you I’ve set you apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I have no intention of making this a slow-burn, because if I do I’ll never finish it. Also, send some Valdangelo songs my way so I may skim their lyrics for chapter titles. 
> 
> Title from: The Scientist - Coldplay

The world is hazy when Nico wakes up, quiet, cold, there’s little to no light, only the warm glow of a nightlight, tinting the world orange; there’s someone at his bedside, but all Nico can make out is a mop of curly hair falling on crossed arms over an empty spot on the cot, and the sweet undertones of omega; before the world goes dark again.

This scene repeats a few times over, brief glimpses of the other, never enough to make them out properly, but always close, always warm, close enough to reach for, and his. That’s a sobering though, one that makes him stagger as finally he manages to gain solidity in one of his attempts at waking up, held into bed by impossibly warm hands.

He takes everything in as the world shapes around him, from brown eyes, to coper skin, to soft looking curls, to elfish features, and finally the scent; campfire, and peppermint, and metal. It takes him a moment to realize he isn’t smelling it properly, that it’s covered under a thick layer of oil and gas; a blocker, but ineffective to him, particularly with the omega this close.

“Who are you? Where am I?”

He asks because it’s the easiest way to make sense of things, like the fact that he’s in a small infirmary of sorts but they’re the only ones there, or that the bed feels like it’s rocking. The thing is, Nico should be scared, but he isn’t, and that can become a problem.

“Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, and you’re in my ship”

“Is that why the world is swaying?”

The omega, Leo if he is telling the truth, winces at that.

“You don’t get sea sick, right? I know Hazel does, but-”

“I don’t”

“Cool, ok”

He moves his hands then, coaxing Nico into a sitting position with slow and calculated movements.

“Now, before I run get her, some ground rules”

Leo has a serious look as he says this, which leads Nico to believe said rules are actually very important if he doesn’t want to be thrown overboard.

“Whatever you’re smelling right now, ignore it, don’t mention it to anyone; the only reason you’re even learning about it is because we couldn’t risk you running off as soon as you woke up”

Nico frowns at that.

“Why?”

Leo scoffs, crossing his arms.

“I’m not getting kicked out of my own ship over something I can’t control, thank you very much”

That kind of strikes a chord with Nico, so he gives the omega a resolute nod; Leo smiles then, bright, and wide, eyes glinting with relief, and Nico’s heart does a pirouette. He knows his reactions are mostly due to their opposing natures, but it’s still weird.

“Also, I’m gonna fetch you something to eat, and if you manage to keep it down I’ll upgrade you to a normal room”

Nico doesn’t protest this time; he needs all the energy he can get if he wants to use his powers again. Leo seems to find his lack of comment satisfactory because he stands up, still smiling, and leaves the room without another word; Nico feels colder once he’s gone, and wonders how that works.

Leo keeps a close eye on Nico as the alpha gets his legs back, making sure to be extra attentive to even the slightest allusion to the secret they now share- Nico doesn’t tell anyone, though the boy barely spends any time with the other people aboard the ship; but he could’ve easily told Hazel, but since she hasn’t started acting different around Leo, nor did anyone else for that matter, he figures the alpha has kept his word.

Kind of, Nico had never actually verbally agreed to keep his mouth shut about Leo being an omega; it was more of a silent agreement if anything. So Leo doesn’t think that phrasing really applies.

He’s still careful, because he doesn’t want to risk it more than he already has, but when time goes by and no one seems the wiser, his curiosity gets the better of him, and leads him into seeking the other out.

Leo had cleaned out the room that was supposed to be his so Nico could take it, since Leo wasn’t really using it after managing to make a bed of sorts in the engine room. It hasn’t been that long, but Nico is an alpha, so Leo isn’t surprised to be drowning in the scent of coffee, and fried food, and some other third thing he doesn’t really recognize, a fruit of sorts if he had to guess; the room is colder now, refreshingly so, which means probably bone-chilling cold given who Leo is, and that makes a lot of sense given who Nico is.

It’s comfortable, his instincts insist on that particular adjective, and it’s weird, Leo can’t remember the last time he felt comfortable, or he does, but prefers not to bring that memory back. Nico sits in the bed, cleaning his dark black sword, so Leo knocks on the door despite it being open already because he values his life, and the world slows down as Nico lifts his head to face him.


	3. Such a funny way to fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I understand that there’s a gap between my ability to pick songs for the titles, and my inability to make this story any good; and hazard that said gap is probably frustrating. Normally in fanfiction, characters will avoid talking things out because ‘you can’t just say that to someone’, but given both Nico and Leo are terrible at dealing with people, I propose they’re actually really good at communicating… most of the time ;)
> 
> Title from: Painting Flowers - All Time Low

Brown meets onyx, eye bags and sclera turned pink from shot veins, vs crowfeet and thick wild eyebrows. The door closes behind Leo, a soft sound as it settles back into place, which is weird considering Nico had kept it open for Hazel, and by the way the wood seemed to push Leo just a smidge, he had not been the one to close it; definitely some higher power.

He supposes it’s not the worst thing, he does want to ask the omega some questions, like why had he decided to let Nico in on the secret, especially when he did so much to keep it hidden. Nico knew because he had been watching, hidden in the shadows, the way Leo interacted with the others, kept them at arm’s length despite his clear desire to be a part of the group.

Leo lifts an arm, to run a hand at the back of his head, lips pulled into an unsure smile.

“Hey uh, do you have a minute or three?”

Nico nods and watches Leo’s hands meet in the middle, stopping for a second to let fingers tap a purposeful pattern, and then they’re dancing. Leo talks about the prophecy, about his part on it, about a hushed argument overheard, about making the choice to trick everyone; it puts things in perspective, and it hits a chord with Nico.

Because he remembers being pushed aside for being ‘fragile’, and presenting as alpha has done nothing to make him forget that; because he didn’t wish that kind of resentment on anyone else, much less someone as bright as Leo.

There’s a long pause as Leo sinks down to sit on the ground, effectively locking them on the room, but Nico doesn’t feel trapped, he just feels…

One moment he’s sitting in the bed he was allowed to use, the next he’s knelling in front of Leo, and there’s something fragile in the air, coiling around the sweet undertones of the room, a reminder of their opposing natures.

“What are you gonna do once your heat hits?”

Nico wonders momentarily why he cares so much, or rather, why it feels so important to him, making the offer he will; maybe it has to do with instincts and nature, maybe it has to do with sympathy and curiosity, or maybe there’s something else, something powerful tugging at the strings. Normally Nico would fight it, but he’s exhausted from his time in the jar, and Leo remains the first good thing he saw once free; and maybe Nico feels like he owes the other, if only for that.

“I’ll find a way to reduce it to just the nighttime, I sleep far away enough that no one will notice the scent”

He doesn’t hesitate, because hesitation has only ever brought him trouble.

“You do know it’s extremely painful, right? They won’t smell you, but I bet they’ll hear you”

Nightmares are one thing, but Nico got to hear an omega in their heat back at the Lotus hotel-casino, and could testify that kind of noise would alert even the soundest of sleepers. He could tell by Leo’s face that he wasn’t aware of this, which was understandable, no one took omega heats seriously, treating it like it was a simple rise in hormones, it was bullshit.

“Do you... is there a way for me to like, skip the pain part?”

Nico sighed, allowing himself this one last chance to back off, only he noticed how Leo’s fingers tapped a very specific pattern on the floor, and had the realization that it could only be Morse code; there had to be a story there, and surprisingly, Nico wanted to know what it was.

“Without a proper suppressor? Your best hope would be to get someone to knot you”

He watched Leo bite his lip, thick eyebrows knitting just slightly closer together.

“That’s fucked up”

Nico agreed, having had his own troubles with that sort of thing, and while ruts were different, they still left you with the bitter aftertaste of wrong. Leo all but glares at Nico, and he doesn’t bite back because he gets it, he really does, then the omega throws his head back, a soft thump against the wood.

“Well, that’s just great”

It’s an impulse more than anything, one that has him discovering just how much he wants.

“I could help”

And onyx meets brown.


	4. Doesn't matter if it's all okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This part is short and bad because I don’t have the energy to do a slow-burn, but I’m awkward about this faster pace. 
> 
> Chapter title from: Who we are - Imagine Dragons

It’s like a flash of something, a flash of everything, it tastes like saltwater but feels like whipped cream; Leo doesn’t know what to do with the contradicting emotions, or the person who has caused them, so he compromises.

“No offense, you’ve done nothing to make me distrust you, but I know squat about you”

Nico seems to consider this, nodding with a long sigh and leaning back, and it’s only then that Leo realizes how close they had just been. Surprisingly, it doesn’t really bother Leo, Nico sort of feels safe, particularly given that he’s kept Leo’s secret this long, but he wasn’t lying; he’d given the alpha a lot of information about himself, it was fair Nico shared some of his.

Nico must come to this conclusion too because soon enough he’s talking, telling Leo about hotels stuck in time, a military school, an ever-changing labyrinth; Nico’s story is one of betrayal and shunning, yet Leo knows he isn’t being told everything, which is fair because Leo hadn’t done that either.

It was enough for now, for this moment, and the rest would come later, inevitably, this Leo was certain of; that was a new feeling, that irremovable certainty, unshakable and telling, so very, very telling. The whims of the fates were confusing, and frustrating, and terrible; but necessary, and vexing, and malleable.

“Ok, I mean we’d have to set some rules, like no marking for obvious reasons, but ok”

There’s a lot of ground to cover, a sudden awkwardness to gap, and a need to get used to making contact with one another; the last part is the easiest. Nico runs cold, much more so than others, more than anyone alive; Leo is the exact opposite, saying the boy is a furnace is perhaps a little too close to the truth.

The contact is a gradual thing, done in stolen moments, away from prying eyes, and sometimes Nico thinks they’ll create steam; they don’t, but touching becomes easier. They also become closer in other ways, sharing small non-consequential tidbits of information, becoming used to each of their ticks.

The awkwardness doesn’t really ever leave, but they deal with it as best as they can; Nico figures that says a lot about just how important it is to Leo that his true nature remain hidden. It’s nice, Nico can admit he’s grown to trust Leo, enough so that pairing up for watches and minor missions stops being a ‘no other seats empty’ sort of deal.

Leo is pretty, in a non-conventional, kind of acquired taste, sort of way; attractive features, alluring scent, soft skin. Nico kind of just… starts finding little things cute, like that one curl the refuses to stay behind his ear, or how he smiles with his entire face, or how he sways when steering because he stayed still for too long, and every time he catches his fingers tapping that same specific pattern.

He wonders, for a moment, if there will be a day when he knows what those taps mean, and what they mean to Leo; and realizes he wants that, wants to know everything, wants Leo to share it willingly.

It’s not the first time he’s felt like this, or something similar, but that doesn’t mean he’s any closer to knowing what to do with himself. He’ll keep it quiet for now, but something tells him it won’t last long that way.


	5. I don't know if you feel the same as I do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I couldn’t remember how long they had for the quest, but time is a human construct, so I digress.  
You're getting this sooner than you should've bc chapter 6 is finally smut, and I'm taking really long to write that part down
> 
> Chapter title from: Do I Wanna Know? - Artic Monkeys

Leo finds his eyes following Nico as if magnetized during the day, which is no easy feat considering how often the alpha disappears into the shadows, but he somehow manages to find him again each time. Nico, as it turns out, likes the crow nest the best out of all places in the ship; Leo knows because he can just about make him out from all the way down by the helm, and he does sporadically as things happen.

Leo’s already existing unbidden energy has only increased, because it’s been a whole week of missions, and monsters, and deities, and other mythological bullshit; but Leo has finished the preparations, and tonight he’ll get his very first taste of being an omega freely.

It’s kind of weird, and terrifying, and hilarious, and nerve-wracking, and amazing; and though he has made great work of hiding his excitement, he’s failed at being subtle to the only other person who knows.

Leo busies himself, running around the ship, fixing things, adding others, hands in constant motion, he crosses paths with different people and asks all of them if their rooms need anything, Annabeth’s has a chair problem, Frank’s needs oil in both the door and windows, the drawers in Hazel’s don’t open like they should or get stuck while being closed, Piper’s bed needs a few boards adjusted, so on; tiny things that have him inside the ship for the duration of the day. He crosses paths with Nico only twice, and manages not to trill at him both times, but he’s pretty sure he gave the alpha some goofy smiles as he hurried his step.

He uses the few moments he’s left with to make extra sure that he has everything ready, the hidden room was always meant for a nest, as Leo at least knew making one would help soothe his heat, a place where he wouldn’t be found out while he took care of himself and could pop back up from to keep up appearances. Right now though, he was a lot more worried about how it looked, how it felt, and how it smelled; because he was going to be sharing it.

He felt jittery, and anxious, and exited, and terrified, and… he just felt so much. It was kind of great? Leo hadn’t decided, their little nightly escapade would be the deciding factor; still, it was only the afternoon, and so Leo resumed his self-given tasks.

Nico is, honestly, kind of wondering the levels of idiocy in the ship crew, because there’s no way no one sees Leo practically glowing as he scurries around, and yet… maybe Nico was wrong, maybe knowing was why he could so easily see the behavior for what it was; either way, Leo was being adorable, and Nico wasted to scream.

He’s kept an eye on the omega but only managed to cross their paths twice, only both of those times Leo gave him this secretive but entirely giddy smile that did things to Nico, such as cause him to sink into the shadows without really meaning too and face planting against the floor, luckily out of view of anyone. Nico has to remind himself constantly of the rules they had set in place.

Leo didn’t want anyone to know his nature, knowing they would send him back to camp at the first chance if they knew, but the prophecy had called him. Nico got it, he did, but this secrecy meant no marking or scenting were to happen; he wondered if Leo would ever tell the others, even once the quest was over.


	6. Kiss me in the shadows of every spark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I really don’t know how to write fast-pace, everything feels so awkward! But I do know that if I try to pull slow burn I’ll never finish this thing. Leo’s secret door opening pattern is actually just |-. . ... -|  
Look, I know, ok? I know
> 
> Chapter title from: Rhythm of Your Heart - Marianas Trench

The days passes unbearably slow, but then it’s night and the others are deciding on a night patrol back in the kitchen, dinner long gone from their plates; Leo has been excused from it because of all the work he did during the day, as pointed out by Piper.

Nico is at no point an option, so when Leo makes a comment about putting the ship in automatic and filling the fuel before hitting the hay, Nico tells Hazel he’s going to his room and sinks into the nearest shadow. Leo really does the two things he said he would, before finally turning to where Nico is and pulling him into the back of the machine room, he taps a pattern into the wall only for it to open like a sliding door.

There’s a moment where Leo fumbles for something and then the new room is illuminated to show a nest, with just enough room for leaving clothes after crossing the door; Leo pulls Nico inside and closes the door with the same pattern as before.

“Ok, um, shoes off before getting fully in”

Leo follows this by taking off his own shoes and then scurrying to the middle of the nest, as he does Nico realizes that it must have taken him a while to plan it, the flooring is covered with blankets and pillows, and Nico is willing to bet the floor beneath those is soft material, Leo looks small, standing in the middle, looking at him. Nico takes off his shoes, and moves to join him in slow and exaggerated strides, and then there’s only a step separating them.

“So, I managed to make it so nothing would burn, but I added some healing stuff just in case I lose control, or the heat affects me weird”

He’s nervous, Nico can tell, but he’s also clearly exited, which is reassuring; Nico really doesn’t want to do anything Leo doesn’t want to.

“How does this room work?”

That sets Leo off, tiny smile becoming more secure as he goes into detail on both the room and the door that hides it, and the actual making of the nest; until the blocker fades and Leo makes a loud gasp before he almost crumbles. Nico catches him easily, and coaxes him down into the very soft nest bed; the omega’s already chirping at him, and he’s drowned in Leo’s scent.

The world is hazy, clearing in brief snippets of touches and kisses, contact of skin against skin, it’s like they’re magnetized, unable to stray too far from the other, yet somehow Nico manages not to lose himself, not to give into his flaring instincts. It’s hard, with Leo panting, pliant underneath him, mewling in assent to every new movement; but Nico distracts himself.

This does not mean he doesn’t fuck Leo proper, so long as he doesn’t give to the more possessive side of things there’s no harm in acting like the alpha he is; and by the reactions, the omega beneath him appreciates this division heartily.

He’s warm, so much so that Nico kind of wants to melt into him, to curl around him even outside of this instance, to be able to soak on it whenever he feels like; he’s always been so cold. He feels right, correct, inviting, like something Nico has never really had, or he did but it’s been so long the memory feels more like a dream; Leo feels like coming home, and Nico is struggling to keep himself from being pulled down.

It last far too long, and way too little, it feels like forever and an instant, and then it’s over, and they lay tied together, more for convenience than anything. Only Leo makes this soft, slightly high-pitched trill that’s a little too close to a purr, and then he curls just a little bit closer.

“You’re cold”

It’s said in a pleased sigh, a trill twirling the words just so, and Nico’s heart stutters, to settle only once the omega has fallen completely to sleep. With no one to see him, Nico allows himself a deep breath of the heavy scent in the nest, and to enjoy the warmth coming from Leo, before he too lets himself fall.

There are no nightmares that night.


	7. Count your blessings not your flaws

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have some fluff. 
> 
> Chapter title from: King - Lauren Aquilina

Waking up tangled into someone is weird. Weird but also kind of wonderful. Particularly because being close to Nico was like flipping a pillow over in summer and finding the other side to be pleasantly cold, only it was a whole body around his own.

The knot must have detached at some point in the night, because Leo feels oddly empty, but not as worked up as he had been yesterday; and it’s nice to know Nico had been telling the truth about this helping. Leo figures a few more minutes of relishing the cold are probably ok, but then Nico shifts, slowly waking up.

At first, the Alpha groans and tries to curl up closer to Leo, but then his brain catches up to him and the omega is released, to be face to face with those sad onyx eyes; only, they look a little brighter right now, just slightly so. So Leo can’t really help the small secretive smile that draws itself in his lips, but he gets front view seats to how it makes the alpha flustered.

“Hi”

He likes how Nico flushes softly, the barest sign of color to his pale complexion; and Nico is handsome normally, but he’s especially so like this. He kind of doesn’t want to move from here, but there are things to be done, and allies to trick; so with great reluctance, he gets up from the nest and grabs his clothes from the floor.

He gets changed quickly, as he knows he will never get it done otherwise, before showing Nico the lever for the door that only exists on the inside. Once back in the engine room he grabs one of his suppressor flasks and takes a swig, he plans on maybe breakfast and a shower, probably in inverse order, so he can maybe ask Nico to join him.

.... . .-.. .--. / .. .----. ...- . / -. --- / .. -. ... .--. .. .-. .- - .. --- -.

Everything is soft, which is a whole thing, Nico does not know how to deal with it; he does know he has to leave the nest eventually, even though here’s warm, and comfy, and Nico really needs to get up. He grabs his things and shadow travels to his pseudo room, grabs a change of clothes, and shadow travels to the showers.

One of the two cubicles in the boy’s side is covered in droplets, and the changing room is warm with residue vapor, all signs to someone else having been here recently, the lack of telling scent makes Nico’s mind jump to Leo.

By the time he makes it to the eating area, Leo’s setting down breakfast, and preparing a pair of plates on the side. The omega smiles as he sees him, but his body speaks of nervousness.

“Hey, so, uhm, I know you don’t generally eat breakfast with everyone else, and I figured there was a good reason, and-”

He has to cut himself not to spill the contents of the pan he’s holding barehanded, scrambled eggs, when was the last time Nico had those?

“and I’m not gonna ask, but I was hopping maybe you’d agree to breakfast in the crow’s nest, with me?”

There’s something fragile in his word, something tentative in his smile, something hopeful in his eyes; and Nico knows what it feels like to have that kind of hope stifled out, and he refuses to be the one to do so to Leo.

“Sure, I’ll shadow-travel us there if you hold the food steady”

Leo’s face shifts into a beaming grin, and he nods enthusiastically, finishing both plates before holding them as best as he can; Nico grabs the other ends, making sure their finger touch, and then lets the closest shadow swallow them. They make it to the crow’s nest without any problems, Nico is only a bit off-balance, but it’ll go away quickly enough, especially with food right there.

They sit side by side, and it’s warm, even up here, where the wind keeps the temperature low; and Nico knows the difference is Leo, that he’s the source. They eat in silence, but it doesn’t feel bad, or like it needs to be filled, stopped; it feels natural, like there’s no need for words right now, sitting so close to each other, it feels right.


	8. I'll be here untill you're ok

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author does not remember what caused Khione to re-appear or what really happened, was Nico even there still? I don’t know, and I’m kind of time skipping because,,,
> 
> Chapter title from: Talk To Me - Cavetown

It almost crashes down because of Khione, and there’s a story there, one about brave escapes, and charm-speak, and ice statues that may or may not have been alive at one point; Leo is unsure. He does know she’s trying to get revenge on him, and she’s ice, so he lights up, only something else is thrown at him and he’s airborne for a whole minute before there’s shadow and he’s against wood, under Nico.

He thinks there’s commotion happening around him, but his mind is too busy trying to cope with the amount of brisk movement it’s been subjected to, as well as making sense of what almost just happened. Because, and here Leo has to bite back a whimper, there was a split second where he had been in the air, heading away from the ship, to fall hundreds of meters into the ground below; which he’s pretty sure would’ve killed him, no matter how much godly blood there is in his veins, and that’s kind of terrifying to be honest.

The cold leaves the ship, and Coach Hedge has to do an emergency landing because some of the frost got to the main mast, which Leo would have to deal with eventually; not now though, even if he sees the way all the others turn to where he is still laying in the ground, Leo wants to hide in his nest for a little. So he sits down to the best of his capability, and leans close to Nico, and asks him for help on managing that without dealing with the drama.

“Please take me to the nest”

Nico nods almost imperceptibly, something dark in his eyes, but then his hands are around Leo and the world goes black.

.. / .-. . -- .- .. -. / ..- -. .. -. ... .--. .. .-. . -../.- -. -.. / - .... .. ... / .. ... / .- / .--. --- ...- / -.-. .... .- -. --. .

It was hard to say what it had been like, what even caused him to turn towards Leo when he did, but he did know what he had felt when he saw him in the air.

It was like everything was in slow motion, and dread rose up in seconds, fixed on drowning Nico; a single clear thought running circles in his head: _‘if he falls you’ll lose him’_. The next thing he knew he was right there, grabbing Leo and transporting them back to the ship, shadows coiling around them.

He didn’t want to let go, knew he would have to, inevitably, particularly because if he didn’t it would give too much away; but then Leo had leaned over, and practically begged him to get him away from there, away from the others, so Nico did. It's a little offsetting, being in the nest outside of their... nightly activities; but Leo is shaking in his arms, so Nico ignores that.

"Sorry, I just..."

"Yeah"

Leo lets out an almost hysteric laugh, Nico holds him a bit tighter.

"Do you think they know?"

Nico wants to scream a little, but then he notices it, drowned as it is beneath the blocker, the unmistakable scent of fear. Leo choses avoidance, just as he had with his nature, and Nico allows him.

"Your blocker still works"

Leo nods against him, making no effort to move away.

"Right, right"

And then he cuddles into the hold, which is wholly unfair, really.

"Do you- if I asked to stay like this a bit longer, would you mind"

Nico feels his heart stutter.

"S-sure, we can do that"

And so they do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> … and fate changed.


	9. Do you wanna be with somebody like me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eventually, Calypso realized the solution to the curse was self-love, you know, since the boat appears whenever she falls in love with someone; so she learns to love herself and the boat appears, and she gets off the island with her own power. 
> 
> Chapter Title from: Lonely Hearts Club – Marina & The Diamonds

There’s a lot that happens, some of it is worse than the rest, and there’s a lot that changes, but Leo and Nico find themselves tethering ever closer; relying on one another. It’d be a lie to say it’s easy, but it isn’t exactly hard either, it’s something in between, something different.

In the quiet moments, when it feels particularly hopeless, they curl together in the hidden nest; sometimes they talk, trading stories and experiences, learning about the other, other times they just lay there quietly, not letting go.

Leo learns about Nico’s past, about Bianca, about the labyrinth, about Minos, and about Percy Jackson. Some of the stories are easier for Nico to tell than others, and he tells each one differently, but talking about Percy seems the hardest; even when he finally tells Leo about Tartarus, he struggles less, but Leo never points it out.

Nico learns about Leo too, about his mother, about the fire, about being passed from hands to hands like a still burning piece of coal, about running away, about having memories messed with, about things that aren’t true but feel as though they should be, and about the fear of getting found out. Leo also has trouble telling some parts, the fire being the worst of all; he’s sheepish about some, because Nico has been through so much, Leo’s problems seem almost petty in comparison.

Leo thinks Nico is strong, having kept sane despite everything; Nico thinks Leo is brave, choosing to remain happy. Somehow, and with a lot of effort, they manage to coax the other into accepting this.

\- .. -- . / ... -.- .. .--. / - .. -- . / ... -.- .. .--.

Nico is exhausted, but he can’t afford to stop and rest, not when he and Reyna get attacked practically on the clock. They’ve finally gotten the chance to breathe, while Reyna attempts contacting the Romans, Nico receives an Iris message from Leo.

It’s not until the omega is there, translucent and with a worried smile on his lips, that Nico realizes how much he’s missed him; it’s easy not to think about it when there’s other things to worry about. The first alarm goes when he realizes where exactly Leo is, the second when the omega’s eyes skim to where Reyna is having no luck as though in passing; Nico’s heart goes all the way to his throat when Leo speaks.

“So, I had an idea”

Nico knows, he knows Leo plans to try defeating Gaia, that he plans to have the cure close in case it backfires; it does nothing to soothe him, and neither does Leo’s smile as he tells Nico that he can’t actually explain his plan, not fully.

“But uhm, if it- when it works, do you- can I- just…”

He lets out an honest to god growl, and Nico feels his world shift on its edge as everything clears.

“Of course I want you”

It leaves him without his permission, but the smile that overtakes Leo is almost worth it; but then he nods, resolute, and Nico’s breath hitches as the message flicker.

“Then, I swear on the Styx that when Gaia is down you’ll have me”

Then he’s gone, leaving Nico to an array of contradicting emotions, and just enough annoyance and frustration to kill the next wave of monsters that try to attack him and Reyna. Reyna doesn’t say anything about the conversation she definitely heard, or even about the fact that Leo is an omega; Nico appreciates that far more than he can really say.


	10. Mayday! Mayday!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For those who were wondering, Nico smells like coffee, fried food, and pomegranates; Leo describes the last bit as ‘a fruit of sorts if he had to guess’, because, while he knows what a pomegranate is in theory, he’s never actually interacted with one in any way. 
> 
> Chapter title from: My Demons - Starset

In retrospect, the actual battle is a lot tamer than what had happened with Kronos; maybe it’s because the later one had gone for months, and because none of the demigods fighting knew each other this go around. Nico kind of just, goes with the motions, Leo’s promise running on his head like a mantra.

He’s only startled from it by Will, and here Nico wonders if the reason he actually gets what Will’s implying is because he’s dealing with the Leo thing, because it kind of comes from nowhere. He agrees to help, but tries to keep his distance; he doesn’t want to give him any false hope, doesn’t want to be someone else’s Percy.

When Gaia steps into the fray, everything descends into actual chaos, like Nico wonders if Eris is somewhere nearby, cackling at them. He sees the seven join the battle, and so he does too; summoning skeletons and brandishing his sword; Will is shooting arrows nearby, but Nico pays little attention to him, not when he knows Leo’s somewhere in the fray.

It takes a minute to realize that he’d picked the wrong thread, the one he had wanted ending much sooner and sharper than the one he saw first; it takes him another to realize whose life is precipitating towards an end. It’s kind of ironic, in a way, that he would go out in fire; Nico tells himself this to try and keep his composure, it doesn’t work.

He had known, deep down, that this was how it would end; but Leo had sworn, with the confidence of someone who had the odds at their favor, and Nico had dared to hope. The ground shakes as he falls to his knees, a single word on his lips; but it’s not Gaia’s power, it’s his own.

It’s not the first time he’s opened the earth in Camp Half-Blood, but with Gaia still right there, it’s kind of staggering.

Then there’s Pipper, and the battle ending, and someone getting Nico to his feet as Festus lands on the ground. Nico makes to go towards the dragon, even though he felt it happen, even though he saw it happen; he can’t help it.

And then, the air is filled with campfire, and peppermint, and metal; stronger than Nico’s ever smelt it, but he still recognizes it instantly. He’s somehow gotten within reach of Festus when a hand pops up from behind the curled dragon, and then, there’s Leo.

Disheveled, and naked, and his.


	11. We'll be just fine (this time)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That’s all they wrote folks!  
No, really, this is all I have to offer you. 
> 
> Chapter title from: Promise - Simple Plan

The first thing Nico does when they finally see each other again is punch Leo, which is fair considering what Leo just pulled; he has the decency to wait until Leo changes first though, so there’s that.

“I felt you die”

Leo thinks Nico’s powers are extremely cool, he doesn’t say that right now though, because Nico looks like he’s about to punch Leo again; so he says something else.

“You can’t get rid of me that easy”

And he must’ve said the right thing, because Nico pulls him for a harsh kiss that leaves him light-headed. They separate after a bit, foreheads still pressed together, and Nico is staring at Leo like he can’t stop looking, and then someone coughs.

They both turn to the sound, and Leo can feel Nico’s grip on him tighten for a moment, and he realizes that his blocker stopped working after the whole coming back from the dead, and that everyone can tell he’s an omega. Leo is scared, as he looks onto Hazel, Piper, and Will; he’s scared about what’ll happen now that they know the truth, and he finds himself moving closer to Nico instinctively.

Piper is the first one to react.

“I knew it! I knew you were together”

And as glad as Leo is that her words immediately break the tension, he’s also pretty sure he’s gone red and is maybe a little on fire. Nico doesn’t seem bothered by the temperature increase, which is fair because Leo was probably a lot hotter during his heat; he still pulls away just slightly in order to look at him properly.

“Are we?”

Leo really wants to get away from all these eyes, and noses, particularly the noses, he is so not used to people being able to smell him; but Nico is asking him a question, and he wants to say it’s ridiculous, but it takes more than just what he thinks.

“Only if you still want me”

Nico gives him an entire look before he’s pulling him and crashing their lips together again, muttering a ‘you’re an idiot’ into Leo’s lips.

“Get a room!”

They pull apart again, and discover that the scream came from Jason, who’s smiling at them from afar; Nico huffs.

“Ok”

And as he notices the shadows coiling towards them, Leo can’t help but laugh; one part relieved, and 99 parts in love.


End file.
